Retiree and French National Arrested in 21 Million Baht Scam
A retired civil servant in Mae Hong Son lost over 21 million baht to con artists who befriended her at temples; police arrested a French national and two Thai suspects involved in the investment fraud scheme.
On September 3, 2025, Mae Sai Provincial Police, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Pisit Talubpetchsakul and Deputy Commander Lieutenant Colonel Alongkorn Promata, received suspects at Mae Sai Police Station in Mae Hong Son province. The suspects were brought in by their lawyer according to arrest warrant number 124/2025, issued by Mae Sai Provincial Court on July 23, 2025.
Police revealed that the victim's son had filed a complaint stating that his mother, a retired civil servant in Mae Sai district of Mae Hong Son, was an active donor who frequently visited temples. She was targeted by a well-dressed woman posing as a devout practitioner, along with two accomplices, who befriended her and convinced her to invest money. The victims lost over 21 million baht.
The case was classified as fraud. On August 27, police arrested one suspect in Bangkok, who was transferred to Mae Sai Police Station. The investigation found the gang consisted of three members. Today, two additional suspects surrendered: a 53-year-old French national named Chanthirath and 79-year-old Saiyai.
Police charged all suspects with joint fraud and unauthorized computer data manipulation. During questioning, Saiyai stated that money transferred to her account was subsequently transferred to Chanita, identified as the primary suspect who was arrested earlier.
